Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-09-28

of forfeiture OF his purchase to have
$500 worth of Improvements thereon ct
the end of three years?
How many preemptors, who nave no
yearly interest to pay, could save their
homes from forfeiture to the state under !
sucl provision.
If you were genuinely interested !
in the welfare Of the actual settler
why did you oppose so bit
terly the bill "a bill drawn by NY
self at the instance OF the committee on
lands authorizing the Commissioner of
the General Lsnd Office 10 appoint sur
veYors to resurvey the school isGds, e.cl
With your assistance this bill might have
been passed with IN appropriation suit
Gent to have enabled me TO have CsuSed
the boundaries to be marked on the
ground of every school lard homestead
III Texas. But for your opposition to the
bill might )w be cna0!ed 10 tspOnd TO
TIE call tor relic which comes from Cros-
by, from Hale, from Hardemsl, and from
your own Panhandle and many Other
counties where settlers ere DOW Rising
their roof trees in uncertainty and plant
ing fields they fear may not be Jdeir oGn.
This appropriation would have returned
to the school fund seven fold before msnY
dsys. Would not TINS nave benefited the
actual settler? Would not this have
FASTENED the settlement ard development
Of the coudtry?
You are rightg in saying that it Is
believe hat "saW and Learns enough
In my recent visit TO your sactij n
TO inGuCe me "to clasp hands II frying
to secure on early set ement Of tue
country, etc" I have always sought
ana invited the assistance and cO-Ope:a-
lion OF my fellow citizens III; oughout the
state in the administration 0. this law.
With feelings of deepest gratitude | have
read many scores of letters evidently
written from motives OF patriotism and
| full CT valuable suggestions, adY'c3 and
| information, and breathing such spirit
Of sympathy and friendship SIS TO make
ne feel as If | were a member Of g great
family (Qarty il you wild devoted to one
common purPose-the development and
| glory Of Texas. 70 what family do you
! belOngi
l also saw and learned enough in my
| recent visit TO confirm me in the belief that
the administration Of the new law has
| been wise and benefcent in it's results
| thus far; and | must assure you that
there has been no deviation or shadow of
change from my original Interpretation Of
the law or from my original intentions as
to how it shall be executed. | say this in
view Of the fact that You in9inudte, and
certain others in reach Of your influence
are persuaded TO believe and spread the
| impression that l "ssW and learned
enough" in my recent visit TO the PaQ
| handle to be affected; that you had
moved IL time to rescue the actual settler
and preserve ais rights from destruction.
Who constituted you his champion? You
of 81 men. Do you think tast you can
make him believe that Governor Ross
would conspire with any one to deprive
the settler OF a single right? Governor
Ross, who has been his consistent
champion, who has risked life so many
times defending his humble home? He
must be q new conner indeed IL Texas,
whom you would persuade into this
belief Do you know settler who has
been wronged? Do you know one WHO
hiss been deprived OF g single privilege
contrary to law2 Do you know one who
has been "discretioned" out OF 8 single
right? If you do, 1 would be glad to hear
of the case. l would be glad to assist
you in righting the wrong if within my
power under the law or within the reach
of my "discretion."
1t is MINISTERIAL now whether you de-
manded or only suggested in your letter
TO the Governor that on assurance be
given "that actual settlers be allowed tC
, purchase their lands ct the minimum
price fixed by law" / am willing to ad
nit that it was only suggestion, and the
! Governor shares in my regrets that thf
/ assurance suggested cannot be given.
| Won iCrh no mentioned in lpf
ter to me while detailing my Legislative
labors and influence that the very frs
5 time had the honor Of appearing befort
your committee, and wss invited Il
| give my views on land matters
} that l requested that the Legislature
should fix absolutely the price OF al
5 kinds and classes of school lands. Il
: this case my influence was insufficient.
1t is due to the generous public" tc
: whom you appesl, that l should stat
e briefly what Interpretation has been givel
those parts OF the law in controversy be
= tween US. Section 8 provi les tina
D "the Commissioner of the General Lane
2 Office shall cause ali the lands belongiH!
= to the several funds named IN this act
3ehich may be in demand for immediate SCI
: Element. to be carefully and skillfu!Iy elias
d siied and valued" ETC., and further O
r that he shall cause such classification al
valuation to be made OF the remainder c
e such lands from time to time as the sam
r may come into demand for actual settle
e meIt" etc. From this 1t is perfect
s plain that classification was not coutem
= plated except Of lands in Immediate de
g mand for settlement. 1t ws
r discovered before the law too
e effect that it would De imDossi
i BILE to determine what particular land
d were in such demand. 1t was also az
parent that systematic classification {
d the whole of a given county at one tin
st could be done with much greater ecol
e omy by the agent already in the field tina
y by sending him hither and thithe
II according to demands strictly immediate
IS Her c. it was concluded TO classify in tn
e way. Was this 81 improper use OF "di;
If creIion?' You Complain that leases hay
d been made in advance OF classification
o Is il not clear that the law contemplate
e that this work would not be finished for
e great many years? 1t is very certain tn:
lie grest many years must elapse befol
1t these lands will all be in demand for Sc